Fabtech

[MarineHawk]

Is there a consensus here on how good of an idea it is to install the Fabtech after-market front end tie rods? Are they significantly stronger than the factory ones? Does it mater?

Sometimes I take fairly difficult trails to take the family remote camping with no other vehicles accompanying us. Don’t want to have one break on me. A guy at a local truck shop doesn’t think I need them, but some guys on earlier posts here seem to think they’re a good idea.
Any advice is appreciated.

[MarineHawk]

Is there a consensus here on how good of an idea it is to install the Fabtech after-market front end tie rods? Are they significantly stronger than the factory ones? Does it mater?

Sometimes I take fairly difficult trails to take the family remote camping with no other vehicles accompanying us. Don’t want to have one break on me. A guy at a local truck shop doesn’t think I need them, but some guys on earlier posts here seem to think they’re a good idea.
Any advice is appreciated.

they're definitely beefier than stock. i never broke a stock one, but carry them as spares anyway. i don't know if that's the only thing you should worry about though, plenty of other stuff that could break and leave you stranded. if you insist on going out by yourselves, at least let someone else know where you're going, or camp someplace close to home so the walk back isn't going to be too gruesome.

[MarineHawk]

Thanks shhrtbs.
Also, sometimes, I just can't find someone else to go hunting with. So, off I go alone.
I'm just trying to make may vehicle as break-proof as reasonably possible. If the cliche is correct (and I don't know that it is) that the tie rods are the "weakest link," I just thought I could mitigate that concern. I guess I should learn how to install a replacement tie rod as well.
I always bring a ton of survival gear with me and let someone know where I'm going. Also, at least when I was in Colo, the range on the OnStar transmitter in my Sierra was pretty awesome. I could make call as clear as a bell in places where my Motorola cell phone would say "no service."

[MarineHawk]

I just talked a guy at Fabtech, and he said some people say that, on a stock H2, the FT tie rods will hit the differential. He also said some people say they have no problems. Anyone know who's correct?

haven't had an issue with them hitting the diff, and i'm getting the idler and pitman arms replaced tomorrow. all stock suspension other than a few turns on the torsion bars and aftermarket shocks. i'd say they're worth the investment. although, it is cheaper to just buy some spare stock tierods and carry them along.

[Ernie Italy]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by shhrtbs:
all stock suspension other than a few turns on the torsion bars and aftermarket shocks. i'd say they're worth the investment. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I've also replaced last week the pitman. Stock suspension, some turns on TB and aftermarket shock... Edelbrock Extreme with reservoir !!
Are the same ?

[MarineHawk]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by PhilD:
Someone else said they will hit the diff recently also, but I've never actually heard of it happening. Plenty of people have installed them on stock H2's.

Although there are other things that can leave stranded, blowing a diff or t-case, it seems a broken tie rod is the most likely thing to leave you stranded on a trail.

You can swap a tie rod out in about 20-30 minutes, if you have one and the necessary tools.

On my last wheelin' trip I blew a CV, which didn't leave me stranded, just needed to remove the cv and shaft. The trip before saw my steering box blow, which did leave my vehicle in need of a flatbed. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

What caused those things to fail? Were you driving it like a madman on crack!

[TXSUT]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by MarineHawk:
Were you driving it like a madman on crack! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Based on the videos I've seen, that's a pretty accurate analogy.

[MarineHawk]

That's what they're for I guess.
I'm just trying to get a feel of what I can safely do. I took my old 99 Trooper and 03 Sierra up fairly difficult (not extreme) places in Colorado with no trouble. I assume I can do the same with the H2 stock?

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by PhilD:
That depends on how much you enjoy replacing tie rods on the trail, not to mention the videos you can show afterwards of your broken tie rod </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

not interested in the video thing, or playing in the mud, that's why i replaced mine to start with. but if money is an issue, and rolling in the mud isn't, a bag of tierods may be the ticket. i prefer the comfort of being inside.

if you don't mind trail pinstriping, and a long wheelbase is good for the CO trails, the H2 shouldn't have any problem

[MarineHawk]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by PhilD:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by MarineHawk:
What caused those things to fail? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Driver error, forgot to take foot off gas pedal

Sometimes things just break. I've seen diffs (front & rear) blow out, t-cases blow, and a whole bunch of other things break on H2's. But the same thing happens to any brand of vehicle when you push it to the limits.

The kind of stuff you see in the pics below is moderate and generally doesn't result in anything breaking;

http://www.*******club.com/gallery.html </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Awesome photos! I'm probably not doing anything any more, if that, extreme any time soon. Are you being sarcastic about that stuff being moderate? Some of it seems pretty extreme to me. Maybe, I'm a pu$$y. I've seen the photo before on the top of the Devil's Den - Apr '05 link (also photos 7-10). How did that work? That wall seems a lot taller than the "16 inch vertical wall" which the H2 is rated for.
Seriously, you do stuff that eclipses the stuff in the photos? If so, no wonder you broke something. You're definitely pushing your rig to design limit and beyond, which I applaud. If you think I'm safe doing stuff like that stock. I feel pretty good. I would like to get stronger tie rods, but the one guy here I know said he wouldn't put them on because they hit the diff. He may be wrong, but I probably don't want to mess with the torsion bars too much to make them fit (though I did that on my Sierra just to get 285s on there).

[MarineHawk]

Okay, I'm not going to delete my last post, but I'm feeling stupid (shoe fits). You were being sarcastic, right? I looked more closely, and the guy in the photos I referenced has front-end lockers. I dind't even know you could do that to an H2. Again, I'm uneducated about this kind of thing, but I thought it was very difficult to add front-end lockers to an independant front suspension. How much does such a mod cost? Is it readily available? (Can you sense the excitement in my words?)

[KenP]

Just come with us to Paragon. You'll see.

http://elcova.com/groupee/forums/a/t...1/m/9701008851